Craigslist ‘Baby-for-Sale’ Scam Nets Nothing but Arrest / Alice H. Sims 29 Charged

[Hellsbells]

$5,000 bond set for Joplin woman charged in baby for sale scam on Craigslist

Authorities say they have arrested a Joplin, Missouri woman trying to sell a baby on Craigslist. Upon further investigation officials learned Alice H. Sims, 29, of Joplin, was in fact not pregnant and was scamming potential buyers.

Sims is in custody and has been charged.

News release issued December 9, 2010 by the Joplin Police Department:

On December 7th, 2010, a report was made with the Joplin Police Department in reference to a woman trying to sell a baby via "Craigslist" on the Internet. The Investigations Division began a criminal investigation with the Joplin Police Department's Investigations Division and Joplin Investigators that work with the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime's Task Force.

On December 8th, 2010 a Joplin Police Department female employee and an undercover Investigator with the Joplin Police Department acted as potential purchasers of the baby. They met with the female on the parking lot of McDonald's at 7th and Maiden Lane, and she claimed to be pregnant.

The female suspect was paid an amount of money as a down payment for the supposed unborn child, and they agreed to pay her another amount when the child was born and turned over to them. After the transaction the female suspect was taken into custody by Investigator's with the Joplin Police Department while she tried to leave the parking lot.

After interviewing the suspect it was determined that she was not pregnant and she was defrauding couples. Through further investigation it was also determined that she had been corresponding via text message, with three other potential purchasers.

http://www.koamtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13647736

[badfish76]

This happened also where I live.

Thank God there was no baby or real buyer!

[Miss Anthrope]

Wow - I wonder how much she was asking for? I would worry about buying a baby from this person - there is no guarantee that you would be buying a good looking kid - certainly there is no indication that the kid would even be remotely intelligent. She will probably only get in trouble for misrepresentation and fraud. She would be in a lot more trouble if an actual child was involved.

[badfish76]

My understanding was that she wanted like $400 down and $100 a month til the supposed baby was born.

The undercover cops were able to dicker the price down to $200 down and $200 at birth.

I suppose it would still be considered a win for her because all she wanted was the down payment since there was no baby. I wonder how many down payments she intended to take?